Doyle hits Green on federal PAC money

Madison - Democratic Gov. Jim Doyle said this morning that Republican challenger U.S. Rep. Mark Green should not be able to violate the spirit of Wisconsin campaign-finance laws by using money from groups not registered in the state.

Those groups gave to his federal campaign fund, and then Green transferred the money to his state campaign fund.

"He shouldn't be able to just use that money and run for governor," Doyle said, referring to the $511,405 that federally registered political action committees gave to Green's federal campaign account. That money was then transferred to his state campaign fund. Green represents the state's 8th Congressional District.

The non-profit Wisconsin Democracy Campaign said its study of the $511,405 showed that $467,844 of it came from PACs not registered in Wisconsin.

Green's state fund has continued to get money from PACs registered in Wisconsin, which violates the spirit of a state law that says no candidate for governor can get more than $485,00 over a four-year period from PACs registered in the state, the Democracy Campaign said.

Green moved a total of $1.3 million from his federal to his state campaign fund, giving him a cash head-start over one-time Republican challenger Scott Walker, the Milwaukee County executive who dropped out of the race for the GOP nomination.

Green has said the transfer was legitimate and noted that it was approved by the state Elections Board.

On Wednesday, the Elections Board will consider the Democracy Campaign's complaint over what it says is Green's violations of PAC limits.

The board's legal counsel has said there was nothing improper about the transfer of the $1.3 million, including the $511,401 from PACs.